Great job! Thanks for the comparison to the Mini P, although i don't know if it was quite apples-to-apples. I don't think i would do the routing, so i'd like to see that reflected in your eventual conclusion. Thanks again!
Routing is definitely not for everyone, which was why I featured the drop in replacement pickups at the beginning. The Seymour Duncan hot rail sounded pretty good!
Another cool video Jonathan. Thank you for taking my? suggestion for comparing the Squier Mini P Bass. I have a chronic illness that makes me fatigued, so I am trying to think my way through what is going to be the lightest bass I can find that will still sound excellent. Look forward to learning more next week. Are you going to compare neck or fretboard types/sizes/oiling etc? Keep up the great work 👍 Andy in New Zealand
Thanks for watching! For size and weight, the mini P will likely be the smallest/lightest and makes for a good ‘couch guitar’. This bronco is slightly over 7.5 lbs. comparing fretboard types would require having the black bronco with the laurel board, which unfortunately I don’t have. For finishes, I’ve tried refinishing a few necks in the past and I’ve never found that to be cost effective. Although I had the best luck with Osmo brand oil finish. Gunstock oil is cool too. But it gets expensive and as it’s done by hand, there’s always imperfections that drive me nuts. I don’t have a spray booth and my honest opinion is that my skills just can’t compete with the factory. The bronco neck finish is on the thin, cheaper side. But if you play it enough, the oils from your hand will varnish it and those played-in necks always feel the best. But that’s practice and hours, sweat and gigs etc! No short cut there.
Nice series of videos. I have the EMG Geezers in my Fender P. I put a Kent Armstrong lipstick in my older Squier Bronco bass and with flatwound strings it sounds fantastic. Very smooth and warm. It did require modding the pickguard a bit and chiselling out some wood because the KA lipstick is longer than a normal strat pickup but was easy to do if you take some time. Give it a go.
Great demo as always! To my ears, the EMG Geezer sounds a bit too bassy on a short scale (I have one in my fretless PJ and one in my Mexican P and love it with both instruments). The Wilkinson has more clarity. I put a Nordstrand NM-4 in my Bronco and replaced the bridge with a Wilkinson that has brass sadlles, and it sounds KILLER. Like a slightly darker and agressive P Bass. It's my go-to instrument since I made this mod 6 months ago. I used the pickguard from a Squier CV Mustang and cut the knobs section of the Bronco pickguard to fit with it.
That’s awesome! Another viewer an hour ago just asked about mustang pickups in a bronco! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I agree, the Wilkinsons had more perceived clarity, likely from being a tad more mid forward.
@@jonathanwong458music absolutely there is but why not find out for yourself and record the experience? I would love if my Wife bought me one for Christmas. Solo have some really interesting kits. you can try the bottles of Stain they sell in case you run into issues with Paint Cans this time of year. Take care!
Good stuff Jonathan. I am enjoying these mod vids. The inexpensive pickup sounds ok but the EMG definitely fuller sounding. I don't like spending $120 plus for pickups but I've never found one I like better than my Aquilar p'ups.
Thanks for watching! I find TH-cam audio tends to squash some of the more subtle differences, but in this case, yeah, the EMGs win. I liked the Aguilar 4P60, but the output was a bit low compared to my other Ps. Tonally very smooth though! I have an Artec soapbar that's stuck in transit. It might be awesome in the bronco! Can't wait.
@@jonathanwong458musicI had seymour duncan custom shop make me an overwound soapbar ( smokin' hot at 21.4k output) for my fender modern player series dimension bass...in that p-bass mid position "sweet spot" it absolutely slays...I bet the bronco will take well to a soapbar too, though it might not have the clarity of a split coil...500k pots might help if that turns out to be an issue
@@jonathanwong458music Still not as strong as the 28k mudbucker in my gibson melodymaker, but much more versatile since it has a 4-conductor lead for parallel/series switching...those old gibson pickups are insane though
Hi Jonathan and congrats for your channel! I was wondering how did you mount the P bass pickup since it doesn’t mount on the pickguard itself? Thank you in advance 🙂
Hi! Thanks for watching! If you watch Ep.8, I show how i enlarged the pickup cavity and installed a set of EMG Geezer Butler P pickups. Hopefully that will answer your question!
@@jonathanwong458musicthank you for your prompt reply, Jonathan! I was wondering, did you mount the pickup directly to the body and used some foam under the pickup?
@@kostasmargaritakis the P pickup is screwed into the wood, but like all P pickups, you’ll need either foam or springs underneath to allow for height adjustability. Need something to push the pickup up while the screws pull it down.
Hey, really enjoying the series. I’m also modding the bass and had some questions if you don’t mind. 1.Did the wilkinson bridge drop in or was any mod required? 2. I know you haven’t replaced the nut yet but is the nut a curved base nut or a flat base one? Thanks in advance, K
Hi! Thanks for watching! The sonic series has the standard 5 hole fender screw spacing, so both of the Wilkinson bridges and the high mass fender bridge were drop-in replacements. Way easier than needing to plug holes and redrill! The affinity or older series with the 2 saddle bridge has a different screw pattern, so those will require drilling new holes. Re nut. The one on this bass was surprisingly cut perfectly from the factory. With no real need to replace it, I’m not sure what the footing is like. Are you going with bone or brass nut?
Thanks for your reply, Will order the Wilkinson WBBC4 then since I have the same sonic Bronco. Planning on a bone nut. Mine's cut pretty well too, although I have noticed severe tonal improvements on acoustics so wanted to try this out. Idea would be to get a flat base one and re-sand base if it turns out it wasn't the case inside. Although some sellers on reverb are selling a flat base one specifically for the new broncos@@jonathanwong458music
That’s awesome! Bone will likely be a sonic improvement over plastic. I’ve also had good experiences with the graphtec products but those can get pricey! Best of luck!
Thanks for watching! In the next episode, I will be putting a soapbar in it. Mustang p/u is possible but the problem is they are all pickguard mounted. Between a P and a mustang, I think the P will sound bigger (not necessarily better depending on what you like). Let me see what I can dig up.
Thanks for watching! I used a pickguard from a PJ mustang to get the pickup placement. I show it in the EMG geezer butler episode. If you send me an email through my bandcamp page (address in the description box) I can send you a scan. The pickguard is one I made from fiberboard and cut it by hand.
Maybe this will interest you: Squier Bronco bass mods Ep.16: 250k vs. 500k volume pots vs. no pots at all! th-cam.com/video/fSTThUjfyxM/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching and asking! Yes, there is a small tonal difference (glove on fretting hand) - there is less fret and finger noise and there is also slightly less upper highs. It's more noticeable in isolation/solo'd, but in a mix, it becomes less noticeable both live and recorded. With a glove on the plucking hand, there is a considerable tonal difference (I don't like it), which is the main reason why I don't wear one on the RH. I just put up with the pain, or don't play on bad days, as a result. I've made a video on this exact topic! Here's a link should you be interested: th-cam.com/video/OQcV8KDUqlg/w-d-xo.html
@jonathanwong458music mobility in the hands is really taken for granted by those who don't suffer from it . Awesome series of videos so far , I keep looking at the shell pink one at Long &McQuade
You mean the one with the EMG geezers? I made a mock pickguard out of fibreboard from home depot so that the pots and output jack had something to be secured to!! It’s cardboard in colour.
10 หลายเดือนก่อน
oh wow it fooled me, i thought it was a proper gold pickguard! good job with this video series, I watched all of them@@jonathanwong458music
Thank you for buying the Wilkinson pickups from us.
Thanks for watching!
I like EMG sound
It does sound pretty nice and big in this bass! Thanks for watching!
Great job! Thanks for the comparison to the Mini P, although i don't know if it was quite apples-to-apples. I don't think i would do the routing, so i'd like to see that reflected in your eventual conclusion. Thanks again!
Routing is definitely not for everyone, which was why I featured the drop in replacement pickups at the beginning. The Seymour Duncan hot rail sounded pretty good!
Another cool video Jonathan. Thank you for taking my? suggestion for comparing the Squier Mini P Bass. I have a chronic illness that makes me fatigued, so I am trying to think my way through what is going to be the lightest bass I can find that will still sound excellent. Look forward to learning more next week. Are you going to compare neck or fretboard types/sizes/oiling etc? Keep up the great work 👍 Andy in New Zealand
Thanks for watching! For size and weight, the mini P will likely be the smallest/lightest and makes for a good ‘couch guitar’. This bronco is slightly over 7.5 lbs.
comparing fretboard types would require having the black bronco with the laurel board, which unfortunately I don’t have. For finishes, I’ve tried refinishing a few necks in the past and I’ve never found that to be cost effective. Although I had the best luck with Osmo brand oil finish. Gunstock oil is cool too. But it gets expensive and as it’s done by hand, there’s always imperfections that drive me nuts. I don’t have a spray booth and my honest opinion is that my skills just can’t compete with the factory. The bronco neck finish is on the thin, cheaper side. But if you play it enough, the oils from your hand will varnish it and those played-in necks always feel the best. But that’s practice and hours, sweat and gigs etc! No short cut there.
Another great video, thank you!
Thanks so much!!
Nice series of videos. I have the EMG Geezers in my Fender P. I put a Kent Armstrong lipstick in my older Squier Bronco bass and with flatwound strings it sounds fantastic. Very smooth and warm. It did require modding the pickguard a bit and chiselling out some wood because the KA lipstick is longer than a normal strat pickup but was easy to do if you take some time. Give it a go.
That’s an awesome mod! Thanks for watching!
Great demo as always! To my ears, the EMG Geezer sounds a bit too bassy on a short scale (I have one in my fretless PJ and one in my Mexican P and love it with both instruments). The Wilkinson has more clarity. I put a Nordstrand NM-4 in my Bronco and replaced the bridge with a Wilkinson that has brass sadlles, and it sounds KILLER. Like a slightly darker and agressive P Bass. It's my go-to instrument since I made this mod 6 months ago. I used the pickguard from a Squier CV Mustang and cut the knobs section of the Bronco pickguard to fit with it.
That’s awesome! Another viewer an hour ago just asked about mustang pickups in a bronco! Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I agree, the Wilkinsons had more perceived clarity, likely from being a tad more mid forward.
Solo Guitars in Toronto is a great place for parts and kits in 🇨🇦 they ship worldwide. Thanks for the video Jonathan.
Yes! The Duncans came from solo, as did a lot of other space takers! Haha. Thanks for watching!
@@jonathanwong458music a multi-video series on building a Kit Bass might be worth looking into 💡Thanks again.
That’s a really interesting idea! Is there a viewer market for that sort of thing?
@@jonathanwong458music absolutely there is but why not find out for yourself and record the experience? I would love if my Wife bought me one for Christmas. Solo have some really interesting kits. you can try the bottles of Stain they sell in case you run into issues with Paint Cans this time of year. Take care!
Thanks for the idea! Will see what the new year brings!
Good stuff Jonathan. I am enjoying these mod vids. The inexpensive pickup sounds ok but the EMG definitely fuller sounding. I don't like spending $120 plus for pickups but I've never found one I like better than my Aquilar p'ups.
Thanks for watching! I find TH-cam audio tends to squash some of the more subtle differences, but in this case, yeah, the EMGs win. I liked the Aguilar 4P60, but the output was a bit low compared to my other Ps. Tonally very smooth though! I have an Artec soapbar that's stuck in transit. It might be awesome in the bronco! Can't wait.
@@jonathanwong458musicI had seymour duncan custom shop make me an overwound soapbar ( smokin' hot at 21.4k output) for my fender modern player series dimension bass...in that p-bass mid position "sweet spot" it absolutely slays...I bet the bronco will take well to a soapbar too, though it might not have the clarity of a split coil...500k pots might help if that turns out to be an issue
21.4 kohms?!! Holey schmolley!!!
@@jonathanwong458music Still not as strong as the 28k mudbucker in my gibson melodymaker, but much more versatile since it has a 4-conductor lead for parallel/series switching...those old gibson pickups are insane though
That’s so cool!
Hi Jonathan and congrats for your channel! I was wondering how did you mount the P bass pickup since it doesn’t mount on the pickguard itself? Thank you in advance 🙂
Hi! Thanks for watching!
If you watch Ep.8, I show how i enlarged the pickup cavity and installed a set of EMG Geezer Butler P pickups. Hopefully that will answer your question!
@@jonathanwong458musicthank you for your prompt reply, Jonathan! I was wondering, did you mount the pickup directly to the body and used some foam under the pickup?
@@kostasmargaritakis the P pickup is screwed into the wood, but like all P pickups, you’ll need either foam or springs underneath to allow for height adjustability. Need something to push the pickup up while the screws pull it down.
@@jonathanwong458music thanks a lot Jonathan! Really appreciate your comments
Good luck with your mod!
Hey, really enjoying the series.
I’m also modding the bass and had some questions if you don’t mind.
1.Did the wilkinson bridge drop in or was any mod required?
2. I know you haven’t replaced the nut yet but is the nut a curved base nut or a flat base one?
Thanks in advance,
K
Hi! Thanks for watching!
The sonic series has the standard 5 hole fender screw spacing, so both of the Wilkinson bridges and the high mass fender bridge were drop-in replacements. Way easier than needing to plug holes and redrill! The affinity or older series with the 2 saddle bridge has a different screw pattern, so those will require drilling new holes.
Re nut. The one on this bass was surprisingly cut perfectly from the factory. With no real need to replace it, I’m not sure what the footing is like. Are you going with bone or brass nut?
Thanks for your reply, Will order the Wilkinson WBBC4 then since I have the same sonic Bronco. Planning on a bone nut. Mine's cut pretty well too, although I have noticed severe tonal improvements on acoustics so wanted to try this out. Idea would be to get a flat base one and re-sand base if it turns out it wasn't the case inside. Although some sellers on reverb are selling a flat base one specifically for the new broncos@@jonathanwong458music
That’s awesome! Bone will likely be a sonic improvement over plastic. I’ve also had good experiences with the graphtec products but those can get pricey! Best of luck!
Love your video. I ordered a bronco because of your channel. Is there any chance that you will put a “mustang type” pickup on it?
Thanks for watching! In the next episode, I will be putting a soapbar in it. Mustang p/u is possible but the problem is they are all pickguard mounted. Between a P and a mustang, I think the P will sound bigger (not necessarily better depending on what you like). Let me see what I can dig up.
I am looking to do the same pickup setup, do you have the template for the pickguard still? Would save me a ton of time trying to figure out placement
Thanks for watching!
I used a pickguard from a PJ mustang to get the pickup placement. I show it in the EMG geezer butler episode. If you send me an email through my bandcamp page (address in the description box) I can send you a scan. The pickguard is one I made from fiberboard and cut it by hand.
@@jonathanwong458music Oh, thanks. I actually have a PJ mustang pickguard laying around. I did not know they were that close lol
Great video btw
The neck pocket is the same. I used it only to get the pickup placement the same. That’s the sweetspot for the scale length!
Thanks for watching!
Potencjometr 250k vs 500ka 😮
Maybe this will interest you:
Squier Bronco bass mods Ep.16: 250k vs. 500k volume pots vs. no pots at all!
th-cam.com/video/fSTThUjfyxM/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching!
Do you think the glove you wear has any affect on the tone ?
Thanks for watching and asking! Yes, there is a small tonal difference (glove on fretting hand) - there is less fret and finger noise and there is also slightly less upper highs. It's more noticeable in isolation/solo'd, but in a mix, it becomes less noticeable both live and recorded.
With a glove on the plucking hand, there is a considerable tonal difference (I don't like it), which is the main reason why I don't wear one on the RH. I just put up with the pain, or don't play on bad days, as a result.
I've made a video on this exact topic! Here's a link should you be interested:
th-cam.com/video/OQcV8KDUqlg/w-d-xo.html
@jonathanwong458music mobility in the hands is really taken for granted by those who don't suffer from it . Awesome series of videos so far , I keep looking at the shell pink one at Long &McQuade
Fellow Canadian? Pink is a rad colour for it!
@@jonathanwong458music You bet , Alberta
@@matdowdall Awesome! I've been in Winnipeg since 2007. Ontario, born, raised and schooled.
Where's the gold pickguard in the previous video from? I want one just like that for my sonic series bronco but havent found one
You mean the one with the EMG geezers? I made a mock pickguard out of fibreboard from home depot so that the pots and output jack had something to be secured to!! It’s cardboard in colour.
oh wow it fooled me, i thought it was a proper gold pickguard! good job with this video series, I watched all of them@@jonathanwong458music
Gold anodized pickguard would totally look awesome! Thanks for watching!